Garment press with a single manual control



J. SIMPSON, JR., ETAL 2,663,956

GARMENT PRESS WITH A. SINGLE MANUAL CONTROL Filed Feb. ll. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 29, 1953 J: SIMPSON, JR., ETAL' GARMENT PRESS WITH A SINGLE MANUAL CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11. 1948 lllllllll Dec. 29, 1953 J. SIMPSON, JR., ETAL GARMENT PRESS-WITH A SINGLE MANUAL CONTROL Filed Feb. 11, 1948 4 Sheefs-Sheet s w MK km .N% QQ Dec. 29, 19 53 J. SIMPSON, JR., ETAL GARMENT PRESS WITH A SINGLE MANUAL CONTROL Filed Feb. 11. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 M 4 JJ 9% 7 .WMV fi W 0 N Z M W Z Mi .7 FM J 5 .4 Haw U 7 a 0 5 6\ -I/' I5 25 M 5 9 \1 I 7 m 6 F. l5 5 m "W 6 1/ w) z m E Patented Dec. 29, 1953 GARMENT PRESS WITH A smo e CONTROL J n: mpson, and Geor e -Del u o.n

England; said ODell assig or to Johnsnnpson,

. Lutonrl ngland Application February 11, 1948,Serial No. H 628 1 Cla m 1 This invention concerns improvements. relate ing.to..ga rment and likexpresses such as. are used for hot-.pressingnin laundries, of thekind com.- prising-pressing..means.and a. horizontally tatable "carrier withtwo tables which can he I brought in turn into the pressingposition. Usuah ly the pressing-.means comprise a fixed press head anda vertically moyableram bywhich'the table in: position is raised .to pressanarticle against the head, :the. tables .and' headbeing steam heated.

Generally the .ram isoperatedby fluid pressure, whereas thetahleecarrier is, turned by hand. However, ithas already been proposed thatthe carrier should be turned by fluid pressure.

- According to ioneasuch proposal, the carrier was to be turned first. in .one direction and then in the: other, separate control devices being-pro.- vided for the twoz..di.l.ections;.of rotation. ..Ac.- :cordingito another proposal, the press, onceset in operation by acontrol device, was to continue to operate automatically, :the lcarrierxlcontinuing to-turn intermittently in the .same direction sin.-

tilthe press was'setoutofoperation. The car.-'

Lpressure ope-rated means always in .thesamezdirection of rotationoand the cycle .of each individual pressing operation is arranged {to-the separately initiated. .andautomatically. completed 'f SDQnS t asinsle action by-ithe one ater, suc

actioneonsistinezin t e same. OPBIEUQI of a ingle control device for each cycle. -Withthe usual .-.press.in means efer ed to abo e. th elezsonsists the withdrawal of the ram to lower the one tab aw yrom the h d, t tur nsof the carrienthrou h 180 tomove that. table to a posit ona ce s bl o h -ope ato a d e o e table to a position between the head and ram,

rand finally the elevation by theram of thesaid other table for ,pressing anarticle. in the course of. the next ,cycle, the carrier is again -.,turned through 180 in thefsame direction.

,Apart from being simple to operate, the press in accordance with the invention .can be made readily accessible.

r Ap e e redembod ment o theinvent pn il n -h desieribed b a of exammean rwith re erence to the accom an in d aw ngs wh ch: I

his, 1- is a side e at on art i -$69, 9 9f a-e rment pr s.-

fie 2 a p a vi w, to ar seals and Film in section, of aport on of thesei pre s,

Fi 3 a. similare evat onal i w 9f a swipe ofithe press as s en from the s de appos t -t9 Fig. 1,

F 4 a se t n throu h the me ns 9 lli' ill the: carrierof t e pressand Fig.5 detail .elevati na y ew i amt-p1? valve and its operati m n Fig-'51s a schemat c view o -.mcr itn prtent parts of the machine ill trati the tunes tional inter-relationpf the 'parts without regard to, their exact location and construction.

Structural-11y, the machine illustrated consists ofa base, press head and rotary table carrier; AJJO shanedba e MP1s. 9 ou es a c inde 2 for .a piston 3 connected to a vertical ram 5 whos -upn r... nd.p i ct throu a cylinder cover :5abo,v.e the base. The head ,6, which isof the-known fiat oblon shape and is pr ided t .meanszmot shown) or th simul tio h atine te m is upported h rizontall omeodis ance abovethe rain ,4 by two solumns J otgooserneck s pe whichextend.upward and sli ht y ou :wardly fromone .end of the base and-have their ".ends turnedginwardly. over the head.

Two oblong tables or bucks 8, each with the usualrailed platform '9 underneath it, aresupported above the ends of opposed radialarms to :of the vcarrier ii I, the tableswextending at right angles to the: said-arms. To permit of vertical .movementlof the tables .8, theyare mounted upon .aplungers [I2 whichextend below the latforms .=9 andare slidably guided sleeves l3 formed at -the:.ends .of the arms ;I 6. Auxiliary guided plungers 114 may :serve to steady the tables. yflghearms 1 0 projectfrom anubmember-1:5supportedlupon a tubular snind-leinot shown) ;-.w;hich rotatably mountedl-in roller. hearings in a :bracket 6 I16 pro- ..jecting. :firom the :end .of the chase lrremote from -the columns 1. :Thezbearing structurecomprises a xsteaminletand exhaust system rqqnnect d .iby flexible .tubes IT. to heating ;circuits;,;in the ::tables 8.

. .;Connected.-to thecarrier hubisl 5 is. -:an externally toothed ring 18 (Figs. 2 and 39 engaged :by a toothed wheel t9 which is carried-by asleeve -1'21! (Fig. 4;) in a bearing 21 supported by an extension 22' of the bracket-16. 'I-he lower end 0f the sleeve 2-D is; formed with the female portion .of adogpluteh with a' positi-ve coupling action,

as shown a single diametrical slot 23. The male portion of the clutch, comprising complementary dogs 24, is formed on the upper side of a flange 25 of a cylindrical member 26 which is slidable axially in the sleeve 20 against the resistance of a compression spring 21 abutting against the wheel IS. The member 26 rests by way of a ball 28 and follower pin 29 upon the edge of a cam 30 which is fast upon a shaft 3!, the throw of the cam being sufficient for producing engagement and permitting disengagement of the dog clutch 23, 24. Fixed upon the member 26 below the flange 25 is a pinion 32 which meshes with a rack 33 formed on one side face of a driving plunger 34 working in a cylinder 35, the pinion 32 projecting through a slot 31 (Fig. 2) in the cylinder wall for that purpose. The rack teeth are made sufficiently long to maintain engagement in spite of the vertical movement of the sleeve 26 and pinion 32. The plunger 34 is furnished with a piston packing 38 and the cylinder 35 with an inlet and exhaust connection 33 for pressure fluid, in this case compressed air. There may also be adjustable abutment means (not shown) for adjusting the stroke of the plunger. On the side opposite to the rack 33, the pinion 32 meshes with a similar rack 40 formed on a plunger 4|, of smaller area than the plunger 34, working in a return cylinder 42 having an air connection 43.

The control means for the machine consists essentially of a cut-01f valve 44, a control valve 45 for the ram cylinder 2 and a control valve 43 for the carrier-driving cylinder 35. The cutofi valve 44 (Fig. comprises a piston 44 which is normally held, by air pressure from a connection 44 in the illustrated position in which open communication with a connection 44 is maintained, but which can be moved by the operator to the cut-ofi position by means of a push rod 41 and cam 41 actuated by depression of a pedal 48. In the cut-off position of the valve, the connection 44 is cut off from the connection 44 and connected to atmosphere through grooves 49 in the piston and exhaust ports 49 The valve 44 is preferably connected, by 44 and 44 respectively, between the control valve 46 and the carrier-driving cylinder 35.

The ram-control valve 45 comprises a piston 50 working in a cylinder 5| with a supply port 52, ports 53 in communication through a connection 53 (Fig. 2) with the ram cylinder 2, and exhaust ports 54. In the outer position of the piston 50, the cylinder 2 is connected to supply and, in the inner position, to exhaust. The piston rod 55 engages a rod 56 connected through a bell-crank lever 5'! and link 58 to a pedal lever 59, pivoted at 60, whereby the operator can move the valve piston 50 to the exhaust position. To assist the operator in so moving the piston 50, provision is made of a counter-balance cylinder 6| which is constantly "under pressure through a connection 62 and whose piston 63 engages a rod 64 connected to an extension arm 65 of the lever 51. The ar- 'rangement is made such that there is a residual force tending always to move the valve piston 50 to the supply position. To ensure that the piston cannot so move except when one of the tables 8 is correctly located over the ram 4, a mechanical interlock is provided. This consists of a rocking lever 66 (Fig. 2) having one end pivotally connected to the rod 64 and the other end provided with a roller 61 which coacts with a flange 68 on the carrier hub [5 in such manner as to obstruct movement of the rod 64 and the valve piston 50 towards the supply position. The flange 68 is provided, however, with slots 63 which come into register with the roller 51 when a table 8 is over the ram 4. The valve piston 50 can then move to the supply position, as the roller 61 is free to enter a slot 69.

The rod 56 is also connected (Figs. '1 and 3) through a link 10 to an arm H on the cam shaft 3|, the arrangement being such that the cam is operated to hold the clutch 23, 24 in engagement only while the valve piston 58 is in the exhaust position.

To allow of a compact and convenient arrangement of the operators controls, the pedal 48 and cam 47 are pivotted on the pedal lever 59 and the push rod 41 is also guided thereon. as shown in Fig. 5. The arrangement is such that either control can be operated without affecting the other.

The valve 46 controlling the carrier-driving cylinder has a permanently open supply port 12 (Fig. 3), exhaust ports 13 and a ring of ports 14 communicating through the connections 15, 44 44 39 with the said cylinder 35. As far as port arrangement is concerned, this valve 46 may 7 be a smaller version of the valve 45, communication between ports I4 and ports 12 and 13 respectively being controlled by a piston I5 which tends to be held in the supply position illustrated by the air pressure and is moved to the exhaust position only when the ram 4 rises to elevate a table 8. For this purpose, a roller 11 (Fig.- 3) carried by a bracket 18 on the ram 4 is arranged to depress the piston [8 through its rod 79 by means of a bell-crank lever 80 pivoted at 88 in lugs 82 on the cylinder cover 5. The valve 46 is then held in the exhaust position until the ram 4 descends again.

The return cylinder 42 is not controlled by a separate valve, but is arranged to receive air from the ram cylinder 2 when the ram piston 3 has risen to its upper position. For this purpose the connection 43 is arranged to communicate with a port 84 (Fig. 3) so located in the wall of the cylinder 2 that it is open to the interior of the latter only when the piston 3 is in its upper position. When the piston 3 descends, it first cuts oh the port 84 and then opens it to atmosphere or, preferably, allows exhaust by leakage past the piston above its piston packing 85.

For controlling and arresting the rotation of the table carrier H, dash-pot braking means is arranged to act upon the driving system or the carrier, the dash-pot action being advantageously graduated or varied automatically during the travel of the carrier so as to permit of a required speed of rotation and deceleration. Preferably, the dash-pot action is exerted upon the plunger 34 of the carrier-driving system and for this purpose, in the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 4, a plunger 86 is arranged to work in a cylinder 8'! mounted upon and coaxially with the cylinder 35. Oil-tight sealing means (not shown) is provided between the plunger 86 and cylinder 81. The cylinder communicates through passages 88,- 83, controlled by adjustable needle valves 90, 9| with an oil reservoir 92 surmounted by a sight glass 93, the passages 88, 83 opening into the cylinder 81 at different distances from its end. The reservoir also communicates with the extreme end of the cylinder 81 through a passage 94 in which there is a non-return valve 95 which may be loaded by a spring (not shown) The plunger 86 is coupled to the plunger 34 in such manner as to permit of considerable lost motion between them :Tcwthis end, the plunger-186 isflprovided with aIhead1=96 (Fig.2) which isreceived in a deep recess 81 in lthezplunger 34, the said head enacting; onitheioneh'and, with the endSB of the said'recessiand, onthe' other hand, with .a shoulder piecesll attached to the endo: the plunger .34. v The cycle: of operations isrbriefly as follows: In 'the initial-state ofiafiairsgone. table 8 is still beingheldinthe elevated pressing position by the ram 4,-while' the other isacce's'sible to the 'operatorior aplacingv anarticle thereon. The rollerrfil of the interlock is .in a slotte-iand the dog-clutch "23,- 24:;is' disengaged. If, nowythe operator depresses thepedal lever "59, the ramcontrol valve: 45 connectsithezram-cylinder 2 to exhaust, so that the .ram 4: descends quickly. and lowers the table 8 away fromthe head. 5, at the sameitime connecting the return cylinder 42: to exhaust as .h'er'einheiore described; The depression Ethepedal- 59 also withdraws the roller/61 irom the slot 69 and causes the cam '30 to be turned to engagefthe clutch'23, 24.. The descent of the ram permits theva1ve-46 tO-be moved by :thei'a'ir pressure so as to connect the carrier- Zdrlving cylinder to supply. This stage of operation is illustrated in the drawings. The plunger 34 moves 'leftwards .from the position shownsinxFigs. Z an-d 4 and rotates the-carrier through 1-80 by: means of the rack 33 and pinion, the engaged clutch 23, 24 and the'gearing i9, :l8,-thetreturn-cylinder plunger 4! being driven idly towards the right. In the initial part of this rotation, say forabout one half thereof, the dash-pot- 86, 8! exerts no control. When, however, the plunger'ilfi is entrained by the contact cfthe end 98 cf the recess 9'! with the plunger hea'd 96, a braking action commences to be exercised, such braking being initially moderate as both passages-Wand 89 are open. Towards the end of the carrier rotation, however, the passage 88 is cutofi' byth'e plunger 86 and the braking is thereafter harder. By adjusting the valves 90, '9 I ,an appropriate graduated deceleration can readily be produced. Ultimately, the passage 89 is also cut off by the plunger 86 and the plungers 86 a'nd 34 and 'thecarrier 'II are brought to rest, the other table 8 being now over the ram 4. It is to be noted that the carrier is decelerated and arrested by the dash-pot means, not by the 'mechanical interlock. During theentire carrier rotation, the whole mechanical system connected t'o'tli'e ram-control valve cannot return to its initialip'ositicn,'even after the operator has released the pedal 59, because the interlock roller 61 "is riding upon the carrier flange 68 and thus holds the :pedal depressed. However, when the carrier 11 has been arrested with the aforesaid other table '8 over the ram 4, the roller -6i is free to move into the other slot 69 and thus permit the pressure in the ram-control valve 45 to reestablish the initial conditions. Pressure is admitted to the ram-cylinder 2 and the ram 4 rises for a pressing operation. At the same time, the cam 30 is turned to allow the clutch 23, 24 to disengage. The rising ram 4 allows pressure to be communicated to the return cylinder 42 by Way of the port 84 and moves the valve 46 to the exhaust position so that the plunger 34 can be returned idly to its initial position, through the racks 40 and 33 and pinion 32, by the plunger 4| of the return cylinder 42. In the latter part of the idle return movement of the plunger 34, it picks up the plunger 86 by means of the shoulder piece 99 and head 96 and draws the said plunger 86 back to the initial position shown in Fig. 2, oil

. 6 flowing iback. 'freely'into the cylinder 8'l pasttthe non-returnrvalvelili. Themachine' is: now ready for the initiation oft-the nextzcycleswhenever the operator; 'wishesl. :Such next. cycle: is: identical withxtha't' described .above; the: turning of. the carrier. 1 I being alwaysxinu the same; direction.v 1 :fmrning of. the carrier it E-can:v be prevented; or stoppedlat any'ipointi in the cycle ofzoperations simply bydepressing thespedal 48: (Fig; 5.) te bring theiplungervfl of thecutmfi :valve 44 intozthe cuti-ofi positi'ond :In. normalioperati'on of .theimachine,..however, the operator has noneed to close this valve. 1 V

We claimi H V 1; A garment ipress ofthe kindr'setrforthpcomprisingiin-combinationa press head, a:horizontally rotatablev carrier having two tables .which can bebrought in turn by rotation. of theiscarrier intocperative relation with :the press :head,;:fl-uidpressure driven pressing means: engageabl'e .sequentially with the tables, when in the. said.bperative'i relation, for bringing them into pressing engagement .with the press ahead, fiuid pressure operated :means intdriving connection with: the carrier for turning it always in the .;same1direc tion,:a source of fluid pressurediuid-pressurecondu itssextending between .the sourceand the pressing means, and the source and the carrier turning means, a :first 'valvein the conduit between the fluid-pressure source and the pressing means for controlling admission and discharge ofpressure fluid to and from the pressing means, meansior loading-the valve towards the admissionsposition for producing pressing engagement "of the pressing means, operator-controlled valve-operating means connected tothe valve tor'moving it to the discharge position forv withdrawal 'of the pressing means from'pressing engagement, means associated with the carrier-turning means and the said valve for holding'the latter .in the discharge position as long. asnei-ther of the tables is in the operative relation with the ipresshead, :a second valve inthe conduit' between the liiuid-pressure source and the carrierturning means for controlling admission of fluidupressure to thesaid-rcanrier-turning" means, and valve-operating means movable with the pressing means and enga'geable withthe-second valve ior moving it to the admission position to admit pressure fluid to the carrier-turning means for producing rotation of the carrier when the pressing means isin: the withdrawnposition.

2; A garment :press of the kind set forth, com prising a table carrier; pressing means, fluidpressure operated means in driving relation with the said carrier for "turning it always in the same direction of rotation, a source of fluidpressure, conduit means extendingbetween-said source'and said pressing means and turning means, and fiuidepressure control apparatus connected in said conduit means between said sourcegof fluid pressure and the said pressing means and the said carrier-turning means, including a single operators control device, a valve system controlling the supply of pressure fluid to the pressing and carrier-turning means and initially operable by the said control device, the said valve system in its initial position being inoperative for causing movement of either the pressing or the carrier turning means, and restoring means acting upon the valve system for returning it automatically to the said inoperative initial position at the end of each pressing cycle, whereby operation of the said single control device causes a single cycle to be initiated and thereafter auto- 7 matically completed and the press brought to rest under the control of the control-apparatus without further. intervention by the operator.

3. A garment press of the kind set forth, comprising two tables, a single pressing means, a horizontally rotatable carrier in which the tables are mounted and guided for vertical movement andby which they can be brought in alternation intooperative relation with the pressing means, a source of fluid pressure, fluid-pressure operated means for turning thesaid carrier through 180 at a time always in-the same direction of rotation, conduit means for supplying fluid pressure from said source to said turning means, a normally, disengaged. positive clutch device operatively connected between the fluid-pressure operated means and the carrier, and positively acting clutch-actuating. means for producing engagement of the said clutch device for the turning oi the carrier.

4. A press according to claim 3, comprising an 'operatcrs control-device connected to the press- "ing means for controlling the operation thereof, an operative connection between the control device and the clutch device for moving said clutchdevice to positively engaging position upon actuation of the control device to effect release of the 5. A press according to claim 3 and inwhich fluid-pressure operated means is provided for operating the pressure means, a conduit between said source and said pressing means, a valve in said conduit "controlling the admission of pressure-fluid to the pressing means, means loading the said valve towards the admission position which produces pressing movement of the said -means, an operators control device, a connec- 'tion between the said-device and the said valve for moving the valve against the loading to the exhaust position for withdrawal of the pressing means; an operative connection between the valve and clutch device whereby the clutch device is caused to be engaged when the valve is moved to the exhaust position, holding means associated with the carrier whereby the clutch device is retained positively in the engaged position until the turning movement through 180 is completed, and loading means for returning the clutch device to the disengaged condition "when no longer retained in the engaged position by the said holding means.

'6. A press according to claim 1, wherein the second valve comprises a piston constantly urged towards the admission position by the fluid pressure, and a cylinder with ports in its cylindrical wall uncovered by the piston in the said admission position.

Cil

7. A press according to claim 1, wherein the carrier-turning means comprises a plunger working in a cylinder and a driving connection with the carrier including a rack and pinion and a releasable clutch device, means for returning the said plunger idly to its initial position, after it has turned the carrier, comprising a second plunger working in a return cylinder, a second rack connected to the said second plunger and meshing with the pinion, and pressure-fluid admission means connected to the return cylinder and controlled by the pressing means in such manner that return is efiected only when the pressing movement has been produced.

8. A press according to claim 1 and an oilfilled dash-pot device for braking and arresting the turning movement of the carrier.

9. A press according to claim 4 and an oilfilled dash-pot device and including an arrangement of graduated oil passages for applying an automatically graduated braking action upon the said carrier during the later portion only of each turning movement of the carrier.

10. A press according to claim 1, wherein the carrier turning means comprises a driving plunger working in a cylinder and wherein a hydraulic dash-pot device is provided comprising a plunger coupled, with provision for relative lost motion, to the carrier-driving plunger and working in a horizontal cylinder which has two adjustably constricted connections from points, at difierent distances from its end, to a reservoir for hydraulic fluid.

11. A press according to claim 1, wherein the valve-operating means comprises a pedal and there is provided, in addition to the valve controlling admission to the pressing means, a cutoff valve in the fluid-pressure supply system, whereby the turning of the carrier can be arrested in any position, and operating means for the said cut-off valve connected to the said pedal.

JOHN SIMPSON, Ja. GEORGE ODELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 227,119 Maccwitzky May 4, 1880 921,983 Hanson May 18, 1909 1,660,744 Davis Feb. 28, 1928 1,765,314 Stuart June 17, 1930 1,940,642 Davis Dec. 19, 1933 1,968,990 Carlson Aug. 7, 1934 2,050,612 Johnson Aug. 11, 1936 2,174,569 Dinzl Oct. 3, 1939 2,301,766 Williams et a1. Nov. 10, 1942 

